From dazzling labels to show-stopping flexible packages, the Gravure Association of America (GAA), year after year, honors the best in gravure printing with its Golden Cylinder Awards.

The organization recently gathered at the Oak Brook Marriott, near Chicago, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its prestigious awards program.

This year, a record 147 entries from around the world were received, cataloged, and displayed for the intensive day and a half of judging and deliberations. At the end, there were 26 winners in 23 categories representing the spectrum of gravure's capabilities.

Slithering to the Top The judges' pick for “Best of the Best” goes to Avery Dennison SPD, Pasadena, CA, for its Reptiles & Amphibians postage stamps. The teamwork involved to bring this complex project together is impressive by itself, GAA reports. The quality of the details, the smoothness of ink laydown and tonal values, the fine type, and color impact all are said to contribute to a phenomenal print job.

The degree of difficulty in printing images the size of a postage stamp and retaining the visual impact is no small feat. According to GAA, this entry not only handles the degree of difficulty flawlessly; it showcases the strengths of gravure — with the reproduction quality of detail and vibrant color all adding up to maximum impact for the consumer.

Packaging Consumers Crave In the Packaging/Film category, Nordenia USA, Jackson, MO, whets judges' appetites with its mouth-watering package for Tyson's Chicken Quesadillas. The package's excellent reproduction and representation of the chicken quesadillas make them look good enough to eat, reports GAA. The depth and sharpness of detail combine with great color selection and execution to create a package “that truly demonstrates how great color and great images help sell the product.”

Seamless Beauty Honored in the Packaging/Technical Innovation category is Multi-Color Corp., Cincinnati, OH, for the Folgers Aroma Seal Container entry. The Folgers' label provides tremendous shelf appeal, reports GAA. The judges were particularly impressed with the quality of the opaque white used in the label. The overall impact is that the image must have been printed on the package rather than applied as a label.

Medicine You'll Want to Take Alcan Packaging Pharma Center, Shelbyville, KY, outshines the competition with its Prevpac Peel-Push Lidding, honored in the Packaging/Foil category. The quality of print combined with the degree of difficulty presented by the complex laminated structure make this a winning entry, says GAA. Both foil and paper have to be printed and laminated, maintaining print quality and register of vignettes and line work.

A Triple Treat Judges elected to give three Supplier Innovation/Press awards to recognize manufacturers' efforts to address industry needs. The Cerutti Group wins for its R970 short-run gravure press; Bobst Group wins for its Schiavi SG-1200 gravure press; and Valmet Converting is honored for its Rotomec 4000-4 gravure press. All three address the need for quicker copy changes on press to help make gravure more competitive versus other print processes.

Each of the press manufacturers addresses the challenges a little differently. As a result of their efforts, the industry has a wide array of solutions that address the basic needs.